Dear My Friend
by hoon.bunn
Summary: May is currently in Unova participating in contests; Drew decides to join her in the region and compete. When word gets loose that an alleged criminal, an ex-coordinator, breaks out of prison ― may and drew are oblivious to the fact they're next on the criminal's list.
1. Beginnings

_Hello readers. This is . It's been a while since I've been active on Fanfiction. This is a new account I had created in order to separate my older work from the new work. Before you read, this story does include an OC. Without the OC, the story wouldn't flow properly. I hope you will enjoy this chapter and the later installments to come at a later time. If I see I'm getting a good response to this story after 3-4 chapters, I will continue it. If not, I will discontinue it. _

_So please, enjoy. It starts off slow at first because the information I am giving you the start off will be important to later chapters. _

_This is a ContestShipping fanfic, so never forget that_

_Also, the cover art for this story is 100 percent all drawn by me. Please do not steal or reproduce. In a later chapter I will have the link up for anyone who has a deviantart account and would like to view the photo.  
_

* * *

The young woman smirked as the prison facility erupted into violent flames. She sat calmly on her trusty Salamance on a far off cliff which watched over the building. She had already discarded her orange uniform and was back in her signature outfit: tight red jeans, knee high boots, simple black tank top and a metallic, half trench coat jacket; her red, white and black waist length air flowing behind her as the wind picked up. She patted her Salamance on the head.

"Well done. Your flamethrower has gotten quite stronger."

Looking back down at the prison facility, she watched the chaos unfold; that damned prison deserved to burn to the ground. Being locked up for nearly 2 years in the Jhoto region had driven her mad. Lousy prison food and bitchy inmates, she was only happy to be free on the hell hole. Looking around with a disgusted look on her face she scoffed. The Jhoto scenery was distasteful. Looking at her Salamance she only nodded, signaling the Pokémon to burn the crappy orange uniform lying in the grass. Hopping on her Pokémon's back, she patted his neck.

"Take me somewhere new."

Nodding and obeying his trainer's wishes, Salamance flapped his wings and flew west.

* * *

May groaned as she reached across her poke-center bed to grab her ringing poke-nav. It was five in the morning and someone has the nerve to call the brunette and disrupt her sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and looked at the caller ID tag name.

Solidad.

Sighing, May pressed the 'accept' button. The coral haired coordinator's image appeared on the screen; May greeted her.

"Hello." From the tone of her voice, anyone who knew May well could tell she was tired and groggy.

"May! Oh I'm sorry… did I wake you?"

Shaking her head she smiled. "Don't worry about it. What's new?"

Solidad smiled. "I'm just calling to check up on you. Congrats on your fourth win yesterday!"

May's smile grew wider. Just the night before, she had won the contest in Mistralton City, earning herself the fourth ribbon to her collection. "Thanks. Congratulations to you as well on making it to the finals in the Sinnoh Grand Festival. I was so sure that Slowbro would win against Drew's Flygon."

The older woman chuckled. "Ah, well I was close, but he earned himself the victory."

The two coordinators continued to talk for a good solid forty-five minutes until Solidad brought up something.

"Oh May I was meaning to tell you something!"

"What?" May questioned.

"Drew's on his way over to Unova to compete." the older woman said calmly.

All blood that was seemingly in May's face drained rapidly, her race growing pale and her smile instantly gone.

"May?"

"Oh, sorry Solidad; I though you said Drew was coming to Unova." She chuckled nervously.

"He is." _'Way to be blunt Solidad…' _

May was completely lost for words. Why did he have to show up just when she was doing so well without him; now she had to worry about crossing paths with him in upcoming contests? Crap.

"Look, May…" The older coordinator said. "He just decided to go – he left as soon as he finished his interview. You shouldn't worry; you're one ribbon away and he has to make up lost time and earn five. As far as I see it, you're ahead of him!"

Cheering up instantly, May smiled. "You're right Solidad!"

"Well, I hate to say this but I have to get going now. I have to finish a few things and run a few errands. You take care of yourself!" And with that the two hung up.

'_Drew in Unova…'_

The now seventeen year old huffed. Why him of all people? Glancing over at the clock on her bead side table, it read six. She figured she wouldn't be able to sleep anymore after her talk with Solidad, so she hopped off her bed and went to gather her clothing. She would take a shower and then set out to the next contest. As she walked over to the bathroom her thoughts drifted back to thinking about the green haired teen she hadn't spoken to in nearly a year. Since she had decided to go to Unova, she thought that her thoughts of the boy would disappear. Sadly, to her own avail, they hadn't; in fact, her feelings had grown stronger. She finally accepted them upon her first month in Unova. There were times when she missed his snotty remarks and his rose throwing, but she would never admit them.

Taking a twenty minute shower, she dismissed the thoughts of boy. She dried herself, got dressed and headed back into her room. She flipped on the TV in order to get the weather report. Sitting on her bed, she began packing her things back in her bag; every so often she glanced up at the screen to see what kind of news was going on in the region. After the fifth glace, her eyes remained on the screen; the words _**'BREAKING NEWS'**_ caught her attention as she reached over and turned the volume up.

"–_We just got report that there are now a total of twenty-three people who have been seriously injured in the Jhoto prison fire. There is still no word on where the inmate has escaped to. Police believe that the suspect may have fled to another region. Citizens of all regions are urged to contact police if they see anyone matching the description – "_

On the screen flashed a picture of a female, early twenties with red, white, and black hair, holding a prison number: _'7436456'_. Her eyes were grey and she had a smirk plastered to her face.

May sat and watched the rest of the news report, taking mental notes. A few minutes later she finally got the weather report. It was expected to be sunny and pleasant. She smiles; a great day to continue her journey. Switching off the TV, she grabbed her bag and secured it around her waist. Grabbing her room key, she closed the door of her room and headed to the front desk; she checked out and headed out to go grab herself some breakfast.

* * *

She sat patiently in a far off deserted field; she had sent her Salamance to the drugstore in town to go fetch her some hair dye with a note and envelope full of money. After twenty or so minutes, her Pokémon returned, a bag hanging from his mouth. He handed her the scissors, black and blue hair dye and the rest of her change that the clerk had given back to her. She smiled at her trusty companion. Taking the scissors she began to cut her long hair; her Salamance sitting in front of her with a mirror hanging from his mouth. By the time she finished it was a nice respectable length that stopped just below her shoulders. She spent the next 2 hours dying her hair. When she had finished, it was a glossy jet black with bright blue tips. She smiled at her handy work; not a single officer Jenny would be able to make the connection that she was the criminal that had escaped just a day ago.

Reaching into her traveling bag, she pulled out a pair of glasses with a zero magnification. She cleaned them and put them on, looking back at the mirror Salamance was holding. She was a new person. Gathering up the materials, she had her Salamance burn them to ashes. Once her mess had been discarded, she slung her bag back over her shoulder and hopped on her Pokémon.

Patting his neck softly she looked at him. "Take me to the city."

Flapping his wings, he set off. After fifteen minutes they passed a sign that read _'Welcome to Icirrus City'._ Racking her brain she finally figured that her Salamance had brought her to the Unova region. Just as they reached the crowded streets, Salamance landed and allowed his master to climb off his back. Smiling at her friend, she withdrew him back to his pokéball so he could rest. She wandered the city; she passed many stores, but none of them grabbed her attention. Sighing she looked into the next store window; she slim figure froze as her grey eyes met the screen.

There on the TV was an image of her old appearance. She smirked and kept on walking. _'Those damn Jenny won't be able to find me this time.'_ Finally she settled for a small shop down the street. She skimmed the clothes racks looking for something different; she had to lose the old clothes or they would catch her. Grabbing a few articles of cloth she settled for a few tank tops and pants. Her eyes fell upon a deep red long trench coat. Red being her favorite color, she grabbed the jacket to add to her stack of clothes. She found a pair of boots and slick pair of gloves. Heading to the counter, the lady rang her up. She paid and left the store.

Walking back up the street she spotted the PokéMart; she entered knowing she had to stock up on supplies. Grabbing a few potions, pokéballs, and poke-food, she went to the counter to pay for them. As she stood waiting for the old man to scan her items, her eyes fell to a magazine on the rack in front of the counter. Reaching over she grabbed the _'Coordinators' Weekly'_ Flipping through the pages quickly she placed it on the counter to add it to her list of items. Once the old man finished, she paid him and left the store.

Heading back up the store she went towards the direction of the PokéCenter. Entering the door, she approached the Nurse Joy and rented a room. After receiving her room key, she went straight to her room. Setting her bags down, she reached into her pocket and released her Salamance. He looked at her as she placed some food in front of him. Roaring happily, he began to eat.

Smiling at her Pokémon's actions, she reached into her clothing back and pulled out a grey tang top and a pair of black and white gradient jeans. Heading for the bathroom she changed and re-entered her room to see Salamance sitting there watching her. Patting him on the head she leaned over and pulled the red trench coat out. _'Perfect.'_ She thought.

Sitting on her bed she grabbed the magazine and began to read. Since she used to be a coordinator, she planned to get back into the competition. She looked over the many coordinators who were in the recent issue; she paused at a 2 page spread and a smirk came onto her face once more. On the left page, it had a picture of a green haired boy holding the ribbon cup from the Sinnoh Grand Festival. On the right page was a picture of a brunette girl standing next to her Glaceon, holding the contest ribbon from the Mistralton city contest. Her smirk grew wider as she read the two pages slowly; taking in every bit of information the page gave. Taking the magazine, she slid it in front of Salamance who looked at the page and looked back at his master.

"Drew Hayden and May Maple" The names rolled off her tongue; her eyes darkened. "This will be one interesting contest season…"

Her Salamance growled agreeing with his trainer.

"So… Who shall we go for first?"

* * *

_So there is chapter one guys. What do you think? Also, I have a small puzzle for you all. The prison inmate number: **7436456** - want to try decoding that into the 'name'_

_Thanks for reading._


	2. Encounters

_Hello Readers. Here is the second installment to 'Dear My Friend'. We will be finding out some very useful information about the mystery woman. Also, Drew will be making his debut in this chapter. Also, I'd like to thank all of you who reviewed my first chapter. It means a great deal to me that some of you are actually interested! _

_Without further ado, here is the next chapter._

_Enjoy _

* * *

It was morning of the next day. She sat at the desk in her room, her gaze looking out the window. It was six; the sun was almost completely visible in the east sky. The cool fall breeze drifted through the open window tickling her face. She turned her attention back to the open notebooks she had in front of her. Said notebooks contained all her coordinators notes and a few other things; on the current page she had opened had seven numbers scribbled on the upper margin. She looked down at the page and frowned. The number scribbled down, _'7436456'_, was her inmate number from the Jhoto prison she had been held in. That number was also her name.

'Shemiko'

She would have to throw that name away and give herself a new one. Having escaped from prison, fled to a new region, and changed her appearance, she was in need for a new name; her name was rare, no one really shared it and if they did, it was spelled differently. If she were to keep her old name, Officer Jenny would be able to track her down easily.

Scribbling on the page, she wrote down a few name choices. Thinking about how they sounded, she began to scribble them out, one by one. After a few minutes she finally settled on her new name. Turning the page, she began to write out her background history.

* * *

Drew's Flygon landed in Icirrus city early morning. He hopped off his companion and returned him to its pokéball so he could rest. They had left Sinnoh immediately after the grand festival in order to make it to Unova for the first contest available. He was on a limit now; he had to earn five new ribbons in order to qualify for the region's own festival. Walking down the street he headed directly for the PokéCenter.

Upon making it to the center, he handed his Pokémon over to Nurse Joy, checked into a room, and registered for a Unova contest pass; he also signed up for the contest which was to be held in two days. Thanking Nurse Joy, he took his room key and headed for the stairs. As soon as his feet reached the top of the landing, he was nearly knocked back down the stairs by a Pokémon blocking his path. Blinking he looked at it.

A Salamance.

For once, he was stunned and completely lost for words.

"Pardon us." A female voice called. She held up her pokéball and called her companion back. She then proceeded to brush past him quickly, ignoring him as he looked at her.

He watched her leave the center. Sighing, he walked down the hall, locating his room. He entered it, placed his bag on the ground, took his shoes off and removed his purple jacket, tossing it on the chair close to the door. He then stretched out on the bed mattress. He was exhausted so he had decided to take a short nap.

Not falling asleep right away, he let his thoughts wander. He thought about what routines he would use for the contest and he thought about his competition in the new region. He'd be facing Pokémon and coordinators he knew nothing about; although he knew quite a bit about one person.

'_May.'_

He let his thoughts settle on the brunette. He had heard from Solidad just before he had left that May had won her fourth Unova ribbon. He figured she would have to be at this contest in order to earn her fifth and final ribbon.

He had to admit, halfway through his journey in Sinnoh, he had begun to miss the girl. Sure, she was good competition, but he was missing her for other reasons. Her bright blue sapphire eyes, her bubbly happy-go-lucky attitude, her smile and company were just a few of the things he missed. He loved ticking the girl off and getting her angry; just the way she looked when she was angry was … _adorable_ … and it made his heart flutter. He had finally let his feelings smack him in the face when he turned fourteen. He was now eighteen and his feelings or May had remained the same. They never became weak, but only got stronger.

Rolling over to his side now, he let himself fall asleep with his thoughts focused on the brunette.

* * *

With her Beautifly hovering next to her, May arrived in Icirrus city around noon. The weather was pleasant. She walked through the crowds of people as she looked around the city. Catching sight of the PokéCenter, she continued to her destination. She looked at the stores she passed; a berry shop caught her attention and she made it a plan to go later to pick up some berries for pokéblock.

Distracted by the city around her, she didn't notice the figure walking in front of her; they collided. The impact had caught May off guard and knocked her off balance, sending her to fall backwards and land on her behind. She looked up and nearly crawled out of her skin when she saw who – 'what' she had collided with.

A Salamance.

"Salamance, stop getting distracted, let's go."

May looked in the direction of the voice; she caught sight of a woman wearing a red trench coat and had black and blue hair. She only got a view of the woman's back side but assumed that she was the trainer of the Salamance she had just collided with. Looking back at the Pokémon, it shorted at May, then turned and followed after the woman.

Getting up, May continued in the direction of the PokéCenter. Upon arriving she gave Nurse Joy her Pokémon and checked in; she also registered for the contest. Accepting her key, May took it, thanked Nurse Joy and proceeded to her room.

She sat down on the couch in her room. Leaning back, she began to think over a list of possible combinations she could use for the appeals round in the contest. Her thoughts began to wander towards a certain green haired teen. _'I wonder if Drew will be at this contest…'_ If he was, her chances of winning her final ribbon would be more challenging than her first four, but she was determined to win. She batted the thoughts away and went back to thinking about the contest.

* * *

Reaching a secluded spot outside the city, she sat down under a shady tree. Her luck had doubled twice that day. First, she had run into Drew. She assumed he was in town for the contest just like the tabloids had mentioned, _'He was going to Unova to compete'_. She had done her research. His team consisted of a Roserade, Absol, Flygon, Masquerain, and Butterfree; an excellent team. Then after running in to him, she ran into May; she would be going for her final ribbon in this contest. May's team had more variety compared to Drew's; May had a Blaziken, Beautifly, Skitty, Venusaur, Wartortle, Munchlax, and Glaceon. She assumed May rotated her Pokémon to give them all a chance to compete.

Looking at her Salamance who was sitting next to her, she smiled at him and patted his back. Salamance was her first Pokémon. When he was just a small Bagon, he had saved her from a wild Seviper attack. Ever since then, they were always close partners. They trained together and grew together; they basically knew what each other was thinking. It took a while for Bagon to evolve into a Shelgon and an even longer time for him to become a Salamance. They had gone through thick and thin.

Smiling at her companion, she rose to her feet.

"You ready to practice?"

* * *

Drew groaned as he rolled over in his bed. He opened one eye to glance at the clock on the bedside table. _5:47_. Sitting up, he stretched. He hadn't believed he was that tired; he only expected to sleep for an hour or two. Seeing as he had slept through lunch, that wasn't the case. He swung his feet over the bed and stood up; he walked over to the bathroom and washed his face and fixed his hair. Walking back into the room, he proceeded to put his shoes on, put his jacket on, grab his wallet and exited the room.

'_I might as well go get some dinner.'_

Walking over to the desk, Nurse Joy returned his Pokémon. He thanked her, exited the PokéCenter, and walked down the street. He looked at the stores and glanced at a few cafes. He finally settled for a small café not far from the PokéCenter. He ordered his food and sat quietly in a booth by the window. He watched the people walk by as the city was still alive at such a time. When he got his food, he ate. These were those times he wished there was someone sitting across from him. Times like these were lonesome. Sure, he could have almost any girl he wanted sitting with him, but that was 'almost' any girl. There was one girl in particular he wanted to be seated with, but his ego was too inflated to even allow him to have a civil enough conversation with that one girl long enough before it became a heated 'war of insults'. He wasn't even sure if she was in the city. Knowing her, she would be late arriving and be lucky enough to make it on time before registration closed.

He finished his food and went back to watching the people outside. Many were still shopping as were there many families out and about. Something, however, caught his eye; a green bandana on a certain brunette's head and a green bag hanging from said girl's hips. Blinking a few times, he made sure he wasn't seeing anything; he wasn't. It was May, entering what looked like a berry shop which happened to be across the street from the café he was in.

Getting up, he quickly went to pay for his meal and hurried out the door. Crossing the street he walked over to the shop window and glanced in. There she was, May, looking at baskets full of fresh and ripe berries. She had a basket in her hand; a few berries were visible from where he was standing. Her Beautifly was rested atop her head now, holding a piece of paper in its paws. She had a smile on her face and the way her eyes sparkled made Drew's heart soar. Taking his attention off the girl for a moment, he glanced around the store seeing if there was any excuse he could use to go in and talk to her. He didn't need much of one; he was a coordinator just like her looking for berries for pokéblock. That was as good as an excuse that he was going to get.

He entered the shop and immediately went to looking at the basket of berries closest to the door. He heard May's Beautifly chirp happily and seconds after he heard the girl giggle. How he missed that glorious sound. He was just about to grab a berry when one of his own Pokémon let itself out of its ball.

Masquerain.

He quickly turned his attention to his now retreating Pokémon heading in the direction of the brunette and her Pokémon. Completely shocked by Masquerain's action, he didn't think of returning the Pokémon back.

Across the shop he noticed May had turned her attention to his Pokémon.

"Hello there." May greeted the Pokémon with a smile on her. _'Odd that a Masquerain is here in Unova.'_ She thought. She hadn't seen any and if she was sure, this kind of Pokémon was only in the Hoenn region_. 'Unless, this happens to be hi-'_

"Well if it isn't June."

'_So it is Drew's Pokémon…'_ May let a sigh slip past her lips as she turned to the teen now standing behind her. "Hi, Drew."

She looked at him; it looked like he was in town to compete for the contest. Great. She had a frown on her face as she looked at him; her day was going quite well until he had showed up. Hearing her Pokémon chirp happily, May looked up to see Beautifly and Masquerain getting along. Deep down, she wished her and Drew could get along just like their Pokémon did.

"So, you here to pick up some berries for pokéblock? I don't see why you bother because you know as well as I know I'll be winning this contest May." A smirk played on Drew's lips. He wanted to see her mad; and that's just what he got.

May turned red with anger and she glared at him. "I'll have you know, I'll be winning this contest myself!"

Drew Chuckled. "May, May, May, we all know you and I will be the ones to make it to the final stage where I'll beat you and earn the ribbon. So, tell me, what number ribbon is it this time May; second one?" He was just saying that to get under her skin. He watched her go from angry to smug as she reached into her hag and pull out her ribbon case. She opened it and held it out.

"I'll have you know, it will be my fifth ribbon!" She seemed so smug with herself.

Drew was going to change that attitude of hers. "So you're not waiting till the last contest to get your final ribbon? I'm shocked May; why quit such a tradition that suits you so well. You're always late when it comes to things, so why be on time this year?"

She glared at him, having the urge to smack him and yell at him, but decided against it. She just huffed and turned her attention back to the berries. She picked up one final one, added it to her basket and went to the counter to pay for them. Drew stood patiently as she went about her business.

He looked at their Pokémon. They were so cheerful and his Masquerain was having such a joyous time. Back in Sinnoh, Masquerain hadn't been as happy as he was now. There in the store, Masquerain was flying around May's Beautifly, happily chirping.

She walked back over, her berry bag slung over her arm. She looked at her Beautifly; she didn't want to separate her from Masquerain, but they needed to head back to the PokéCenter and make some pokéblock before it got too late.

"Beautifly," she said sweetly. "We need to head back now. Say good bye to Masquerain." She looked at Drew. "See you at the contest…" And with that she brushed past him and headed for the door, her Pokémon saying goodbye to his and followed its trainer.

He let a sigh pass his lips. _'Way to go. First time talking to May in over a year and you already make her mad at you. Smooth move…'_ He ran a hand through his green locks and looked up at where he could have sworn his Pokémon still was. He hadn't noticed that Masquerain had slipped out the door and was follow after May and Beautifly. _'Damn it.'_ He quickly left the store and followed after his Pokémon.

May had noticed Masquerain and had stepped off to the side and allowed the two Pokémon to interact with each other. Her Beautifly looked so alive and carefree as it flew around with Masquerain; it made her happy to see her Pokémon happy. She looked down the street to see Drew walking up; to grab his Pokémon no doubt.

Drew approached, nearly sending a glare in Masquerain's direction. "Masquerain, why'd you run off like that?"

His Pokémon halted midair and looked at its trainer.

May looked at the boy, "Jeez, calm down Drew. Maybe Masquerain just wanted to spend more time with Beautifly."

"…" Drew stood there silently as he watched the Pokémon go back to taking turns with flying around each other. The sight was quite interesting; it even attracted the attention of a few by passers walking along the sidewalks.

The two of them continued to walk as their Pokémon enjoyed each other's company. They were distracted by a female's voice; she sitting on a bench that they had just passed. "What Adorable Pokémon you have there."

Stopping, both coordinators turned around to look at the woman; she had a Salamance standing next to her as she fed it pokéblock. Her gaze was chilling as she looked at the two teens; her grey eyes showing no emotion. The Salamance next to her looked just as chilling; its gaze was intimidating enough to make May's Beautifly fly and hid behind Masquerain. Drew glanced from the Pokémon to its trainer. She was the same person whom he had run into at the PokéCenter. If she was feeding her Salamance pokéblock, it must have meant that she was also a Coordinator. May recognized the Salamance and smiled shyly; she remembered she had walked into the same Pokémon just earlier that same day.

"Your Pokémon both have a lovely sparkle to their wings; I see they've been raised well." The woman stood and approached the two teens and looked at them both. _'Weaklings like you two shouldn't be worth my time, but you are my biggest threat._' She though.

"Thank you. " May looked up at the older woman and smiled. "Your Salamance looks amazing as well."

"I know." And with that the woman brushed past the two. She continued down the path towards the PokéCenter.

Drew watched the woman go. She seemed odd; he hadn't seen someone like her at any contests he had participated in and seeing as May didn't know who she was, he assumed the woman was a beginner. Glancing at his wrist watch, he looked at May.

"It's getting late. I'm going to head back and call it a night." He turned to his Pokémon and called it back to its pokéball.

"You're right." May smiled. "I still have one more stop to make. So, have a good night Drew." She was just about to leave when Drew tossed her something.

"It's for Beautifly." He simply said and walked off.

May looked down at the rose. _'Gosh. It's always roses with him.'_ She placed it securely in her bag and headed on her way.

* * *

_So there you have it folks; the Latest installment to the story. Thank you for reading. _


	3. Stage On!

_Good day to you all readers. I have returned with yet the 3rd chapter of **Dear My Friend**. I've got excellent news. I've brought forth another OC. Not to worry, this OC is on the side of good. He's a humorous man and you should all recognize his name. _

_Thank you everyone who is reading. It really pleases me. Also, those who review, bless your souls. I see your reviews and I am so happy. Your reviews are what make me inspired and also strive forward so i can continue to write. I've never really finished a multi-chap story before and I hope this time i can prove myself wrong and finish it!  
_

_Enjoy this next chapter!_

* * *

May sat calmly in her PokéCenter room; it was the day of the contest. She glanced over at the outfit she had laid out on her bed mattress; a simple yet beautiful 2 piece set. The clothing set consisted of a tan tank top with a red short jacket, a pair of short red shorts and yellow socks; a pair of black flats sat on the floor. The head band had a small Torchic on it; the outfit was simple enough to portray which Pokémon she would be using in the contest, her Blaziken. Getting up she began to prepare herself. She was going to win today's contest.

* * *

Drew stood in front of the mirror in his room. He had watched the Unova contests before and had seen that coordinators also dressed up. For the sixth time in five minutes, he readjusted his green tie. He wore a simple suit: black jacket, black vest, black pants, black polished shoes, and a red rose tucked nicely in the jacket pocket. He had worn this same outfit at the Sinnoh grand festival. He was slightly nervous; sure he had won the ribbon cup a few days prior, but this was a whole new region and a seemingly whole new competition. Plus, he had the feeling he would end up fighting May on the final stage; it had been a while since he had last fought the brunette, so who knew what kind of new combinations she had come up with. Looking in the mirror one last time, he grabbed his pokéball containing his Roserade and then headed for the contest hall.

* * *

The contest hall was crowded. Many coordinators had already shown up to get prepared and work on last minute combinations. She sat off in a secluded corner looking at all the Pokémon and people. She was disgusted. Half of the combinations she had seen yesterday were no match for the ones her and her Salamance had prepared. A majority of the Pokémon, if they were to make it to the next round, wouldn't stand a chance against her own Pokémon's raw power.

A smirk played on her lips as she looked around the contest hall; she say May by a locker putting her belongings in it. She had to admit, the outfit she was wearing was an original. By her guesses, the girl must have decided to use her Blaziken in this contest. She looked to another corner of the room and saw Drew. He was dressed nicely as well; his suit was probably pressed and ironed the night before. Her smirk returned in full. Without a doubt, the two of them would advance to the next stage; she would as well.

* * *

The contest had begun. Many coordinators had already made their appeals, some were well thought out and some looked like they were planned last minute. May was next and slightly nervous, but then again, she always got contest jitters; it was a feeling that never seemed to go away. Looking at the screen she watched the coordinator before her make their appeal but was interrupted when a deep masculine voice caught her attention.

"It's good to see you May!"

She turned in the direction of the voice to see a tall young man with brown hair approaching her. A smile spread across her lips as soon as she recognized who it was.

"Hoon!"

She jumped up from her spot on the bench and gave the man a hug. She had meet Hoon back at her first Unova contest. He was her first rival in the region, but he had also become a friend. He was talented, but not as talented as Drew had been. Hoon had just started coordinating a year earlier and he was already strong. If she could remember, he had about 3 ribbons the last she had run into him.

"So, are you dealing with those last minute jitters again?" He smiled down at the girl who only half smiled back at him.

"You could say I am. I mean, if I win this, it will be my fifth ribbon! But since you're here, I don't think you're going to make that easy for me, now are you?"

He laughed. "Your fifth ribbon? My you sure are working hard, but I think you've forgotten something."

She looked confused. "What?"

He leaned close to her. "You forget that I'm going to win this contest."

She punched him on the arm. He always did that. Sometimes, he acted like Drew, but at the same time, he never made her feel the way she did like when she was around the green haired teen. Hoon gave off the friendliest atmosphere it was almost impossible to not befriend him.

Across the room, Drew stood leaning against the wall. He watched as May and the other boy talked with each other. He saw everything; from the hug she jumped up to give him, to the punch on the arm. He almost felt… _jealous._ He frowned. He had no clue that May had made 'nice nice' with another coordinator who was also a guy; if he hand any guesses, he figured the man was just like Harley.

Her name was called and it was her turn to make her appeal. A bunch of coordinators hurried to the television screens to watch her appeal; Drew stayed where he was. Her appeal was intriguing. Her Blaziken masterfully showed its skills working with both fire and fighting. What really had the crowd riled up was when she tossed up a rod of thick metal. She commanded a Fire Spin and Blaze Kick and a few Sky Upper Cuts. Within seconds, her Blaziken had masterfully sculpted a dull sword. To cool off the hot metal, he spun; the speed of the spin whipped up a beautiful sparkly sand storm. To finish it all, he handed the sword back to May and she posed. He had to admit, it was beautifully done. The crowd had gone nuts and the judges were also impressed.

When May entered the back of the hall again, she was greeted by many, telling her how beautiful her appeal was. Drew was just about to go greet her when the same man from before came over to her and began to compliment her. He felt his heart drop to his stomach.

"May that was amazing! Who would have guessed that your Blaziken had such a talent for blacksmithing?!" Hoon took the sword from May and examined it. "It's so dull and innocent, but yet it's so beautifully crafted!"

She smiled. "Thanks Hoon! Did you already make your appeal?"

"Not yet. I'm up after this next coordinator. Hey, can I borrow this sword for my next contest? It would work out great for my costume!"

What would she use to sword for anyway? "Sure! Go right ahead!"

They both heard the crowd clap and cheer. Hoon and May looked over to the television screen to see a Salamance and its trainer. May recognized her and smiled. From the way the crowd was reacting, she must have made a grand appeal.

It was now Hoon's turn to make his appeal. He handed the sword back to May asking her to hold it. May watched him make his appeal. He ran onto the stage in his black V-neck tee, black skinny jeans, and black combat boots. His attire was simple, but the way he looked was already stunning. The chains hanging from his neck, waist, and wrists made such a melodious sound, his attire really didn't matter. He threw his pokéball up in the air and out came his Beartic. He moved though his appeal well; the ice Pokémon had displayed such a dazzling performance that the crowd went just as nearly wild as they did for May's appeal. Hoon finished and hurried back over to May back stage.

"How was that?" He said with a smile on his face.

"Well done!" She chimed.

"_-And for our next coordinator, the man who has been dubbed the top coordinator of Sinnoh just a few days ago, give a round of applause for Drew Hayden!" _The crowd went wild upon hearing his name; May could only form a frown. Hoon noticed her facial expression and took it upon himself to cheer her up. He took the sword and poked the back of her leg making her jump in surprise.

"May, is that the Drew you first told me about?" He had remembered May had mentioned some things about her rivalry with Drew.

She nodded as she watched his appeal. "Yeah, that's him alright."

Hoon chuckled. "You never mentioned he had green hair."

May also chuckled and turned to her friend, talking her attention off of Drew's appeal. "I thought I had told you once or twice. I'm more surprised by the fact that you don't know much about him."

Hoon shrugged. The appeal rounds had ended, and coordinators waited nervously for the judges to announce who would be moving on to the next stage. He sat with May and the two caught up with each other. The last they had seen each other was 3 contests ago in Nimbasa City. May was the one who won that contest after beating Hoon on the final stage; her Venusaur had beaten his Reuniclus. The two of them were too caught up in their conversation they didn't notice Drew had approached them. When he approached, he cleared his throat making the two of them look at him.

"Hello." Hoon greeted.

"Hey Drew! Nice appeal." That's all that the brunette could come up with. She hadn't really watched his appeal in full, but he had been using Roserade; she had an idea of what the teen had done to please the judges.

Drew smirked and flicked his hair. "As expected from yours truly."

May rolled her eyes and looked back at Hoon. "Oh!" she looked between the two boys. "Hoon, this is Drew, my rival from Hoenn. Drew this is Hoon, my first rival here in Unova and my friend."

Hoon smiled and extended his had to shake Drew's. "It's a pleasure to meet the so called 'arrogant' coordinator May has mentioned before."

'_Arrogant?'_ May had called him arrogant? Drew only let the thought linger for a few seconds before smiling back at Hoon. "Oh, is that how she's addressed me as?" He looked at May and put a hand on his chest. "May, it hurts that you would call someone such as myself arrogant." May was just about to tell him off but was interrupted.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you all have been waiting for! The top four coordinators who will be moving onto the next stage! Here they are!"_

Everyone's attention turned to the screen; four pictures showing up of the lucky four advancing to the second round. May was first. Then following after her was Drew along with Hoon and the girl with the Salamance. May smiled and Hoon couldn't be happier. Drew's expression never changed; he already knew his Roserade would bring him to the second stage.

"_And now, the computer will randomly shuffle the deck and arrange the second round battles!" _

The battle pairs were revealed.

May vs. Hoon.

Drew vs. The girl with the Salamance.

May frowned. "I have to face Hoon?" She looked at her friend. "Well, you know I won't be going easy on you!"

He chuckled. "I wouldn't expecting nothing less from you May."

Drew glanced at May. The way she looked at the very moment made his heart hurt. She was being friendly with some guy he barely even knew. Sure she had traveled with Ash many years back, but Ash was too dense to even know about anything about actual 'feelings'. This other guy, Hoon, had to be around their age and he was smart from the looks of it. Drew just didn't trust him.

Another thing that bothered him was the way she had chosen to dress up. Her outfit was simple but could also render any male with a beating pulse and raging hormones speechless. Those shorts she wore, they were just… enough to make him want to ram his head into a locker a few times. She had grown, and those shorts helped show just how long and simply beautiful her legs looked. She wasn't wearing her bandana and the tank top she wore… If she were to lean forward or lean a funny way, anyone could get a glimpse of her chest. How he wished he could ram his head into the lockers at that moment.

* * *

She sat across the room. So she would be going up against Drew in the second round. A smirk played on her lips; she was thrilled. Her Salamance had prepared for 2 particular battles. One was prepared if they were to face the boy and one was prepared specially if they were to face the girl. Her luck was only just getting better. She pulled her Salamance's pokéball out of her pocket. _'It's only a matter of time before we show our true power.'_

"_Alright contest goers! Let's bring out our first couple for battles. Will May and Hoon please come to the stage?"_

May and Hoon stood up simultaneously. They turned to each other and shook hands; they then proceeded to the battle stage. Once on their sides of the field Hoon spoke up.

"Good luck May! I'm not going easy on you."

She smiled as she reached for her pokéball. "I don't want you to! Let's make this a battle no one will forget." She was almost hesitant; she remembered Drew would be watching. She had this shot to prove to him that she was no longer a weak coordinator. _'Just you watch Drew…'_

"_Coordinators, are you ready? Begin!"_

* * *

_Thank you for reading! Please, I'd love for some reviews._

_Until next chapter~  
_


	4. Taste of Your Own Medicine

_Hello fellow readers. It is I, . Sorry for such the long wait... College has snuck up behind me and thoroughly smacked me around and had its way with me. I found this chapter just siting here on my laptop and thought better of it to upload it here to FF. Here is the first half of the contest battles. I hope you enjoy. Although it isn't as descriptive as I wish it could of been... alas... here it is!_

* * *

"Beartic! Stand up!"

"_And would you folks look at that. We only have 30 seconds on the clock yet it seems this may be the end of Hoon and his Beartic. With the points practically sitting still at a tie, we only have time for one more attack from each coordinator."_

Hoon gritted his teeth; he had never fought against May's Blaziken before and from the looks of it, her companion was high powered and perfectly in sync with it's trainer. One last attack, that was all he had time for.

"Beartic, let's use Hyper Beam, full power!"

Taking into account of her own Pokémon's speed, reflexes, and power May chose her next attack. "Blaziken, let's show him an Overheat, full power as well!"

It was then those two last attacks that collided only to have Blaziken's Overheat over power Beartic's Hyper Beam. The attack hit its mark, striking Beartic square in the chest knocking him back and to the ground, completely knocked out. The buzzer sounded.

"_And there you have it folks. Finishing off the battle, May has successfully earned herself a spot on the final stage."_

Hoon returned his Pokémon to its pokeball and smiled at May. She also returned her Blaziken to its ball and walked over to Hoon. She extended her hand in order for him to shake it.

"Great battle May."

"Your Beartic was a real challenge. You've trained him well. Good job Hoon." They shook hands and exited the stage.

May was all smiles; she was only one battle away from earning her fifth and final ribbon. She would either have to face Roserade or Salamance. She wasn't sure which she wanted to face on the final stage. If it were to be the Salamance, she would be going against a coordinator and Pokémon she wasn't all too familiar with. If she were to face Roserade, she would be going against someone she knew well and her Blaziken would be at a type advantage. Knowing Drew, he was always one step ahead of her, ready to use the type disadvantage to his advantage. She shivered. Going against Drew would be a thrill. She hadn't fought against him in such a long time, half of her wanted to show off to him just how strong she had gotten while half of her wanted to sit and analyze his battling style; to mainly see if anything had changed.

"May, are you even listening to me?"

Hoon's voice brought her back to reality. She hadn't noticed she had begun to space out. "W-what? Sorry, I was dazing out…" She scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.

"I said it's Drew's turn to battle."

The two of them turned to the display screen to see the announcer introducing Drew.

"_And here he is, the top coordinator himself, Drew!"_

He entered the stage, a smug look on his face as he waved to the crowd. Hundreds of girls screamed out his name, and a soft chanting of his name could be heard in the audience.

May stood there with a disgusted look on her face. 'Arrogant egoistic jerk…'

Hoon chuckled. "He sure is popular."

May only shrugged.

"_-And now, for our challenger, the princess of the dragon Pokémon, everyone, give it up for Hisoka!"_

'So that's her name.' May made a mental note so she wouldn't forget.

Hisoka entered the stage, her hands in her coat pockets, her face looking emotionless as she walked to her side of the stage. She got a fair amount of applause from the audience, but nothing in comparison to Drew. Her Salamance was ready and, she had devised a well thought out plan to knock his Roserade out within the first half of the battle. Letting out a breath, she released her partner.

"_Let the battle begin!"_

Drew threw his pokeball up in the air releasing his Roserade. _'A few pedal dances and a solarbeam should be able to knock down a good amount of Hisoka's points.' _He assumed. Once his Roserade was released, he looked ahead to see Hisoka with her eyes closed and her Salamance sitting down. She didn't even look serious. With time ticking, he decided to take the first move.

"Roserade, Let's show them your Pedal Dance!"

Hisoka stood relaxed, her hands in her jacket pockets. A wimpy Pedal Dance wouldn't stand a chance. Her Salamance sat staring at the swirling pedals hurling towards him. He yawned getting an odd reaction from a few people the audience. Hisoka removed her right hand from her pocket and held it up. She snapped just as the attack was within a 3-foot radius of her partner. As if running on instinct, Salamance released a powerful Flamethrower, burning the tiny pedals to the ground.

Drew called out another attack. "Roserade use sleep powder!"

Following his commands, a sleep powder was hurled towards Salamance.

Hisoka opened her eyes and looked across the stage directly at Drew. He looked back at her, determination burning in his eyes. She smirked, making his serious look turn confused. She opened her mouth.

"Salamance! What have I told you to do with status affecting attacks?"

Her Salamance began to flap his wings, stirring up a windstorm, sending the sleep powder scattering and sparkling, turning Drew's attack into a beautiful appeal for her. Drew's points dropped.

It had only been a minute and he had lost a good amount of points. Hisoka's points remained in tack. She glared at Drew.

"They call you the top coordinator? That's a load of crap! Salamance! Use combination number 4!"

Drew stood there confused. _'Combination number 4? What does she mean by that?'_ He watched the dragon Pokémon rise up in the sky and lock its gaze on Roserade. He needed one attack just to stop Salamance long enough to put him to sleep. He released a breath. "Roserade, Solarbeam!"

Following his command, his Roserade begun to store energy. Salamance took aim at its enemy and began to dive, picking up speed as he approached his target. As the two Pokémon were within ten feet of each other, Roserade sent forth her Solarbeam. Out of nowhere, an explosion erupted; a smirk grew on Drew's face. _'The attack hit!'_ Just then, Salamance appeared before Roserade and sent her flying across the contest stage right into the wall behind Drew. He spun around to see his companion, fainted. The judges signaled the buzzer.

"_Well there you have it folks! Roserade is unable to battle! Hisoka will advance to the final stage!"_

Drew returned Roserade to her pokeball. He glanced up at the clock. Only a minute and half had passed and he was beaten. He looked back at Hisoka who was now approaching him, Her Salamance next to her. She stopped in front of him and said nothing. He gulped. The look on her face was making him uncomfortable. She finally spoke.

"I think you were a bit too over confident. You should have just stayed in the Sinnoh region. You weren't even a challenge. Next time we meet on the stage, I expect to lose a few points. Its people like you who make me angry." With that she brushed past him, her Salamance grunted as he too followed after his trainer.

Hoon and May stood shocked, looking at the screen.

Drew had… Lost…


End file.
